Device for torpedoing wells



Spn p l A I F. L ALEXANDER DEVICE Fon TORPEDOING WELLS Filed Jur-1e 28j-192s 'Patented 16, w24.

50 .detecte 55 pedo must at as onirica@ FORD I. ALEXANDER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE FORD ALEX- ANDER CORPORATION, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A` CORPORATION OF CALI- DEVICE FOR TOBJPEDOING WELLS.

.application filed June 2e,

T all whom t may concern Be it known that l, Fono I. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles 5 and State of California, have inventedv a neu7 and useful Device for Torpedoing l/Vells, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to a method and' 10 means for torpedoing wells and refers particularly to the art of torpedoing oil wells by use of electrical detonatin caps.

ln the torpedoing of oil we s the torpedo is commonly lowered down the well on the customa sand line of the well equipment until the torpedo is positioned inv place. When the torpedo is to be electrically deto nated, an insulated wire is connected to caps in the torpedo and lowered with4 the torpedo as the same is lowered on the sand line,

the electrical line being tide or iastened to the sand line during the lowering proce to prevent entangling of the line. ThisV `method of. torpedoin oil wells Ais unsatis- `ifactory for the following reasons. First the customary sand line of the wells is of such wei ht and stiiness that the comparatively all weight of the torpedo forms a relatively small part of the total weight being 3 lowered. Thus, in lowering a torpedo two or three thousand feet into the well, and especially when` the torpedo is' passing through water or other fluid in the well, the weight of the torpedo is so small compared I with the line supporting the4 same that it 40 tinued lowering of the sand line will cause the same to become entangled in the well without thetorpedo being further lowered. To offset this eiect heavy weights are frequently attached to the torpedo so that the weights and tropedo comprise a material proportion of the total weight lowered and the sand line may be stretched tautly and prevented from entangling and thus the catchin of the tor do in the well hole by the slac g' of the sand line. However, the weight of two or three thousand feet of sand line, torpedo and auxiliary wei hts is such that the handling of the torpe o is extremely diiiicult. The torall times be mechanically low- 1923. Serial No. 648,284.

ered and supported and itis diliicult to determine when a decrease in weight on the line occurs. Moreover, when ,the torpedo is lowered through a sand line, a separate electric line must be reeled out simultaneously with the lowering of the sand line Vand the lowering must be stopped about every two hundred feet or so to tie the electrical line to the sand line to eliminate entargling of the lines when descending the 76 v A further unsatisfactory result following from the use of a sand line for lowering the torpedo in a well is due to the fast that such sand line is commonly a metallic line which is in Contact' with the derrick of the well. Thus, when vthe torpedo is lowered `upon the sand line the derrick 'of the wellis grounded to the torpedo through the noninsulated sand line. c Frequently premature explosions have resulted from this cause. These explosions may be causedfrom static electricity 4stored in the derrick, which static, when connected with the torpedo, is dis. charged down the sand linecausing a spark around the torpedo or otherwise prematurely exploding the torpedo. Moreover, frequently electric lines are connected to lights on the derrick and the electric connections may be faulty, resulting inthe current from the lines being sent down to the torpedo, causing premature explosions'.`

An object of this invention is4 to provide a method and means for torpedoing oil wells whereby the torpedo may be lowered in the well on a single insulated line of relatively light weight which line serves both to support the torpedo and to electricallyl connect the caps of the torpedo so that the loss of time necessary for tightening two separate lines may be eliminated and to the further important end that the weight of line extending to the torpedo shall be so materially decreased that it is possible for an operator at all times to raise or lower the torpedo with his hands to detect whetherthe torpedo is continuing its descent into the well; the

light ing Cbut a comparatively small art of the' weight of the torpedo and eliminating the necessity of .supplying additional auxiliary weights to the torpedo to stretch and maintain the supporting' line-taut. Moreover, the use of such insulated lowering line eliminates the groundE between the derrickv and lowering and electircal line compris?.

orpedc heretofore provided by the sand ine thus avoids premature explosions rom that cause. s

Another object of this invention is to simlify the equipment necessary for torpedong a well and to supply a lowering line for he torpedo which may be readily trans- 'orted to the well to be torpedoed and used n Wells where the sand line has not yet een installed.

Another` object of this invention is to proide a simple apparatus and attachment to he normal equipment of a well so that -the ormal equipment ofthe well may be emloyed in raising the line after the torpedo as been exploded.

Other objects and advantages of this inention will be apparent from the descriplon hereinafter contained and will present iemselves in the practice of the invention.

The raccompanying 'drawings illustrate iagrammatically a preferred apparatus or qui'pment for torpedoing a well, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the torpedoing quipment' showing the torpedo descending ato'tlie well hole with-the well hole in veriealrsection.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the reel operatag means showing the electrical connection rvith a torpedo.

Fig. 3 isa side view of the line employed with this invention.

Fig. 4 is a section of the supporting and lectrical line.v y

In the drawings 1 indicates the customry derrick or tower of a well equipment,

the platform for the derrick upon which s supported a suitable engine 3 having a rive connection 4 with a band wheel 5. The and wheel 5 is supported in a bearing 6 on n upright post 7 and provides the customry crank 8 which, in the normal well equipient, is employed for actuating a walking eam (not shown). The details of con- ;ruction of such parts of the customary oil 'ell equipment as are herein diagrammatiilly illustrated are wellunderstood in the rt and need not further be described. Morever, the use of such standard well equip- .ent to aid in the torpedoing method is inciantal only to the ie invention.

In order to employ such standard equip- .ent for controlling the lowering line of the rpedo I provide an arm 9, one end 10 of hlch is bolted to the crank 8, the medial Jrtion 11 being bent downwardly from the 'ank and the other end 12 extending parall to the crank 8 and providing an opening 5 which is preferably screw-threaded. 14 .dicates a reel which is rotatable on a shaft i which is threaded into the arm 9 through Le opening 13 and held thereon by a nut 16. indicates a control for the reel, one end 3 being screw-threaded to the shaft 15 be' preferred embodimentof tween the reel 14 and arm Said control 17 is positioned to tighten the reel 14 on the4 shaft 15, thus providing a clutch for controlling the reel 14.

19 generally indicate.` the combined suplbroader sense to indicate a metal of great tensile strength which may be of various compositions. Said line 19 1s wound around the reel 14 and extends therefrom up and over one ofthe sheaves 22 on the top ofthe derrick 1 and extends down through the center of the derrick 1 into the well hole, generally indicated at where it is secured to a torpedo 24. v

The torpedo 24 may be of any preferred or customary construction. In this embodiment it is shown comprising a cylindrical container 25 having a pointed end 26. The container 25 is filled with an explosive charge indicated at 27, which may be some nitroglycerin product or other explosive. 28 indicates a number of electrica-l detonating caps distributed through the torpedo.

The line 19 is tied .around a connection 30 through which a bail 31 secured to the top of the torpedo 24 is passed, thus supporting the torpedo 24 on the line 19. From .the connection the line 19 is electrically connected to the caps 28, preferably connecting the caps in series, and is then grounded to the container 25 as indicated at 32. The other `end of the line 19 extends through an opennected to a suitable source of electrical current, such as a battery indicated at 34, connected therefrom to a switch 35 and is thenA grounded at 36. 36 indicates a line extending from the switch 35 to the casing of the well hole 23 which provides a preferred form of ground for the line 19.

When torpedoing a well the only equipment necessary to transport to the derrick is the reel 14, arm 9 and torpedo 24. The arm 9 is then attached to the crank 8 of the band wheel 6 and the reel 14 fastened thereon. By loosening the control or clutch 7 one end of the line 19 is taken therefrom, passed over the derrick and secured to the torpedo 24.

vThe torpedo is then lowered` the speed of the reel 14 being controlled through the member 17. An operator bythe feel on the light line 19 may readily determine if the linev is being maintained taut under the load of the torpedo 24 and thus readily ascertain if the torpedo is properly descending the well. When the torpedo has reached the desired position the other end ofthe line is grounded preferably to the casing of the hole 23 and a battery or other current developing means placed in the line. Frequently use can be made of power lines supplied to the Well equipment. The current thereby the explosive charge 27 of the torpedo. Water or other fluid in the bottom of the well contacts with the exterior of the well casing 25, grounding the endV 32 of the line 19. After the explosion the control member or clutch 7 is tightened to the reel 14, and the line 19 Withdrawn from the well by operation of the customary motor -3 driving the band wheel 5.

lVhile the niethod and means for torpedoing wells herein described is well suited for the purposes of this invention, various modications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. This invention is .of the scope set forth in the appended claims.

claim:

1'. In a device for torpedoing oil wells or the like, the combination of a reel, -an insulated stranded steel line vWound onv the reel, the weight of said line when lowered in a Well of modern depth being small as compared with that of nthe torpedo, one end of `said line being grounded, a torpedo suported on the line, an electric detonating cap 1n the torpedo, the end of the line supporting the torpedo being connected to the cap, and means connected in the line for passing a urent therethrough to detonate the tore o. p -2. Mechanism for torpedoing oil wells will explode the detonating caps 28 and.

which includes a derrick, a band wheel, an

engine for driving the band wheel, a crank carried by the band wheel, an arm secured to the crank and having an opening aligned with the axis of the band wheel, a reelsiiprted on a' shaft'extending into the openmg and aligning with axis of the band wheel,`

said reel being rotatable on the shaft, a clutch orlockm the reel to the shaft, and a. line Wound on. le reel extending over the derrick.

3. A device for torpedoing oil wellsorthe 4 like, which comprisesv a reel, a line made upof thin strands of steel covered with insulating material Wound on the reel, the weight of said line when lowered in a well of modern depth as compared with that of the torpe o, one' end of said line being grounded, -a torpedo supported on the line, an electric detonat-ing cap in the torpedo, the end of the line supporting the torpedo being connected to the cap, and means connected inthe line for passing a current therethrough to detonate the torpedo.

Si ed at 22d ay of June 1923.-

FORD I.

Los Angeles, California, this 

